


there won't be a show tonight

by lovelyflowersinherhair



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22727092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyflowersinherhair/pseuds/lovelyflowersinherhair
Summary: “I mean that you’re not going to that party, either of you,” she informed them. “You’re grounded, Jughead.”
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	there won't be a show tonight

**Author's Note:**

> I really hate the perfect murder plot. 

“No,” Alice said, her tone practically incredulous. “Absolutely not. I won’t allow it.” 

Jughead and Betty exchanged a glance. “What do you mean, Mom?” Betty asked, a layer of innocence to her tone. “No?” 

“I mean that you’re not going to that party, either of you,” she informed them. “You’re grounded, Jughead.” 

“For what?” Jughead demanded. “I haven’t even done anything!”

“You got expelled from school in your senior year,” Alice reminded him, her tone cross. “There’s no guarantee that that horrible Principal Honey will even  _ let _ you re-enroll in Riverdale High, and then where will you be? Bussed out to Seaside?” She shook her head. “No. Your father and I discussed this, and we have decided to ground you. You’re certainly not going back to Stonewall Prep for a party, young man. I don’t even want to hear what convoluted reasoning the two of you have for wanting to do this.”

“What if I told you that we don’t have a choice,” Betty said, in a rather demanding tone. “Not going to the party will ruin our lives, Mom!”

Alice sighed. “Your life will manage to withstand this slight hit to your social standing, young lady,” she said, and she took a sip of her coffee. “You’ve been suspended, Jughead has been expelled,” she continued. “I’ll take the blame for what happened to you, but Jughead? I can’t reward such behavior. An expulsion due to plagiarism?” 

“I need to prove that I’m capable of planning the perfect murder--” 

“Bret told me that he’d release a sex tape that he had filmed of me and Jughead,” Betty confessed, barrelling over Jughead’s inanities -- inanities that Alice  _ was _ going to address -- in the process. “If he releases it, it’s going to ruin me.” 

“Take a breath, Elizabeth,” Alice instructed. “You’re working yourself into a panic for no reason. Need I remind you that you are a minor? Bret is in possession of child pornography, that I am going to assume was recorded without your consent. You’re not going to be ruined. Bret is.” 

“Are you sure, Mom?” 

“Yes, Elizabeth, I’m sure. I’ll handle things from here,” Alice said, as she focused her gaze on Jughead. “What in God’s name has possessed you to decide that an appropriate use of your time is to ‘create the perfect murder’? You do not have to behave with such extremes all the time.”

“It’s part of the plan that Charles and I came up with,” Jughead informed her. “We’re going to expose Bret, and Donna, and Dupont for the evil --” 

“Do not be so ridiculous,” Alice told him. “Charles may be your brother, Jughead, but I do not want you being reckless and following in my footsteps and putting yourself at risk for stupidity. You are  _ not _ faking your own death to prove some point. What would that do to the people who care about you? I understand protecting Elizabeth. I understand the thrill of the investigation. I worked with him to try to protect her too. I thought I had no choice.” She shook her head. “Maybe I didn’t. You do.”

“But--” 

“No buts, Jughead. Come on. I’m going to take the two of you to the station so that you can report Bret for filming you without your consent as minors. This ends today.” 

  
  



End file.
